Theresa Doering was acting like a kid with a new toy.
The Clarendon Hills Middle School Spanish teacher said she pretty much felt that way, even though it was her 20th first day of a new school year at CHMS, which opened in August of 2000 following passage of a $12.8 million referendum in November 1997.
Doering other CHMS teachers, staff and administrators outside the building’s main entrance Friday morning to welcome students. With music blasting, Doering danced and smiled at each student who walked by.
“It’s kind of emotional for me, there are such good memories,” she said. “You always think about some of those memories when you start a new school year, and we are blessed to restart each year in our profession.”
Carol Dronzek, a physical education teacher who also has been at CHMS since it opened, had a similar take.
“This is the best experience of my life, and the first day of a new year never gets old,” Dronzek said. “It’s so much fun to see how excited all of the teachers are for a new year to be starting, and it’s wonderful to meet the new students and see how the others have grown.”
Jennifer Scheuerman, an eighth-grade English/language arts teacher, also began at CHMS when it first opened.
“It’s been fun getting to set the traditions,” she said. “Certain things always change over the years, but it’s hasn’t been a huge change here because it’s always had a community feel, and it still does.”
Language arts/social studies teacher Jamie Guerin taught at CHMS the first year it opened, took a 10-year break to raise her three children and returned nine years ago. She still loves the first day of a new school year
“I’m always a little bit nervous, but in a good way, and it always feels new,” she said. “The teachers all get each other pumped up.”